Download 2012 Annual Customer Notification

2012 Annual Customer Notification
Dear Charter Customer:
Thank You for being a Charter customer! The information that follows is a compilation
of the TV products and services we have to offer; prices and options for programming
services; installation and service maintenance policies; brief instructions on how to
use the cable service; channel positions of the programming we carry; billing and
complaint procedures; information on your right to privacy; an explanation of Local
Access and how to use it; and the role of the Cable Advisory Council. The Federal
Communications Commission requires cable systems to provide customers annually
with an updated version of this information. Should you have any questions after
reviewing the information, please don’t hesitate to call us or go to our website at
charter.com. We’re here to assist you.
Sincerely,
Charter Communications
FRANCHISE CONTACTS
The Vermont Department of Public Service and Public Service Board desire to
hear the views of subscribers regarding the quality of services provided by Charter
Communications and the reasonableness of the terms upon which those services
are provided.
To convey your views or seek assistance with a dispute, you may contact the
Consumer Affairs Division of the VT Department of Public Service at 800-6224496 or 802-828-2332, Monday-Friday, except holidays, 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.,
or write DPS, 112 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2601. TTY/TDD number
1-800-734-8390.
The division can also assist you in submitting a dispute to the Vermont Public Service
Board, which is the franchise authority. The access management organizations
(AMO) for Charter are: Kingdom Access Television (KATV) in Northeast Vermont and
Central Vermont Television (CVTV) in Central Vermont.
PAYMENT OFFICES
459 Portland Street
Johnsbury, VT 05819
888-GET CHARTER
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (closed for lunch)
304 North Main Street, Suite 1
Barre, VT 05641
12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (closed for lunch)
OFFICE HOURS
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Charter Communications® appreciates your subscription to our cable television
service. To ensure that you understand our service and billing procedures, we have
outlined the essential information below.
OVERVIEW OF CHATER’S TV SERVICES1
CHARTER TV BASIC (Basic Tier Availability) The Basic Service Tier, where available,
is our lowest level of cable service. Charter TV Basic includes off air broadcast
stations and may include any franchise-required public, educational and government
access channels. All such programming varies on a community-by-community basis
and is subject to change at any time, subject to applicable law. Pursuant to federal
law, cable customers must subscribe to Charter TV Basic in order to subscribe to any
other cable video service.
EXPANDED SERVICE The Expanded Service Tier, where available, is an optional
level of service above and beyond Basic Service and is billed separately from Basic
Service. A customer must receive Charter’s Basic Service Tier in order to be eligible
to receive Expanded Basic. Expanded Basic Service may include many of the non
premium cable channels such as the Discovery Channel®, Lifetime®, ESPN®, A&E®,
the USA Network®, and TNT®. All such programming varies on a community-bycommunity basis and is subject to change at any time, subject to applicable law.
CHARTER TV DIGITAL PACKAGES & TIERS There are various digital TV packages
and options for a customer to choose including Charter TV in Digital, Charter TV
Select, Charter TV Silver and Charter TV Gold. Where available, these packages
provide an optional level of service that requires a receiver and provides access to an
1
Services listed in this notice may not be available in all Charter areas. Digital equipment
may be required to view certain channels or receive certain services. Please contact your local
Charter office or customer service number if you have any questions about service availability.
*Not applicable to Charter Business Public View and Hospitality customers.
array of movies and other programming in crisp digital-quality picture and sound.
Additional channel tiers offered: Digi Tier 1 which includes NFL Network, ESPN U,
Investigation Discovery, Nick Jr. and a variety of other channels, Digi Tier 2 which
includes NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer, Smithsonian Channel, Boomerang and a variety
of other channels, Sports View, Faith & Values View, and Latino View.
PREMIUM SERVICES* Premium Services are available on a per channel or per
service basis. Premium Channels generally include Home Box Office®, Cinemax®,
Starz®, Encore®, Showtime®, The Movie Channel™ and EPIX™. Not all premium
services are available in all areas. There is a separate monthly charge for premium
channels.
OTHER OPTIONAL SERVICES In addition to these programming services, Charter or
its leasing affiliates may also offer its customers, for an additional monthly charge,
the rental of receivers or remotes, and the following services where available: HD,
DVR*, Charter Internet and Charter Phone.
A NOTE ABOUT PROGRAMMING Charter receives programming from various
broadcast and cable networks. Charter is not responsible for the content aired by
these networks and may not alter the programming schedule. Please contact specific
cable or broadcast networks directly with your programming complaints or questions.
You will find pricing and channel line-ups for your specific area provided with this
notice. You may also view the channel line-ups and additional services available in
your area at www.charter.com.
HOW TO USE YOUR TV SERVICES
Charter’s broadband network and customer premises equipment, including the
receiver and modem, are designed to be safe and reliable for carrying television,
internet and phone signals. Here are just a few tips to keep it that way:
1. During severe electrical storms you should unplug your television set and
cable receiver to avoid damage. Charter and television set manufacturers are
not responsible for damage that occurs due to acts of nature.
2. Remember your receiver operates on 110 volts so take all the precautions that
you would for any small appliance-such as checking to see that the cord is not
worn or damaged.
3. For your own safety, do not attempt to open or otherwise tamper with your
receiver.
4. If you have someone other than Charter install the inside wiring in your home,
or if you do it yourself, you are responsible for ensuring that the wiring does
not interfere with the normal operation of the cable system and that it complies
with applicable federal regulations, including protections against signal
leakage.
CABLE COMPATIBILITY
Most modern television sets and VCRs are cable compatible and can receive the
analog and digital signals carried on the cable system if those signals have not
been encoded to secure the signal. “Cable-ready” television sets may be connected
directly to the cable system and will receive the non-secure analog or unencrypted
digital signals present on the system. Except for new television sets equipped to use
the CableCARD technology, described later in this notice, television sets may not
receive the digitally encrypted signals carried on Charter’s cable system without a
receiver provided by Charter. A receiver may also be required if the television set is
not cable ready and cannot receive the large number of channels available on the
cable system.
ABOUT YOUR RECEIVER
Even if your television set is cable compatible or cable-ready, you may still need
a receiver to receive secure analog, digital or HDTV signals that are carried on the
cable system. Secure analog or digital signals include premium services that have
been secured by the cable system and are delivered only to those customers who
elect to have them as part of their service package. These include premium movie
channels, special events, On Demand events, and other premium service offerings.
The receiver is a tuner/decoder. It receives the cable channel selected by the customer
and converts it to a format that can be received by the customer’s television set
or device. This converted signal is usually displayed on channel 3 or 4 on the
customer’s television set or device. Some receivers also provide video and audio
outputs, which can be connected to the video and audio inputs of the customer’s
devices if they are present. Operating your television set after it is connected to the
cable television system is easy. Turn on your television and the cable receiver. Ensure
your television set is tuned to the proper channel to receive the signals from the
receiver. This connection could be RF (channel 3 or channel 4), video baseband,
component or HDMI input. Select the channel you wish to watch by selecting it on the
receiver using the remote control. To ensure reliable operation, confirm the receiver is
plugged into a non-switched power outlet (one that is not controlled by a light switch)
and that connections on the back are secure. Loss of power to the receiver may result
in a temporary loss of your cable television service.
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NOTE: THE RECEIVER AND REMOTE CONTROL RENTAL DEVICES ARE THE PROPERTY
OF CHARTER (OR ITS LEASING AFFILIATES) AND MUST BE RETURNED TO CHARTER
WHEN YOU ARE NO LONGER A CUSTOMER. FAILURE TO RETURN ANY PROPERTY
OF CHARTER WILL SUBJECT YOU TO ADDITIONAL CHARGES, POSSIBLE CRIMINAL
PROSECUTION, AND MAY RESULT IN YOUR CREDIT REPORT BEING NEGATIVELY
IMPACTED.
PAY-PER-VIEW* AND ON DEMAND*
Where available, Pay-Per-View and On Demand are for private, in-home viewing
only; no commercial establishments. To order one of these services, your account
must be current. Customers with digital receivers may order using Charter’s remote
control. To prevent unauthorized use in your household, you are responsible for
setting up a PIN number, Parental Control and Rating preference. Charter will not give
credit for the following circumstances: 1) unauthorized use, 2) if you tape a Pay-PerView event or movie and are not present to monitor the taping, 3) if you do not call to
report reception problems while the movie or event you ordered is on, 4) or if you do
not call to report you did not receive the movie you ordered, while that movie is on.
INSTALLING YOUR VCR AND DVD
Your DVD/VCR can be used to enhance your cable television experience. Installation of
your VCR or DVD can be completed through a variety of different methods depending
upon your viewing and recording requirements. Different options for installing your
VCR or DVD are described below. If you need assistance, Charter personnel will
help you understand how to make DVD/VCR and cable television service compatible
entertainment components. You can have maximum flexibility in watching what you
want to watch, when you want to watch it.
HOW TO CONNECT YOUR DVD PLAYER, RECEIVER, AND TV
TV
Receiver
Cable
Outlet
IN OUT
IN
Audio/Video In
DVD
Audio/Video Out
s #ABLEFROM#ABLE/UTLETTO).OF2ECEIVER
s #ABLEFROM/54ON2ECEIVERTO).ON46
s !UDIO6IDEOCABLESFROM/54ON$6$TO!UDIO6IDEO).ON46
(Match colors of cables red-to-red, yellow-to-yellow, etc.)
HOW TO CONNECT YOUR DVD PLAYER, RECEIVER, TV, AND VCR
TV
Cable
Outlet
VCR
Receiver
IN
OUT
IN OUT
IN
Audio/Video In
DVD
Audio/Video Out
s
s
s
s
#ABLEFROM#ABLE/UTLETTO).OF2ECEIVER
#ABLEFROM/54ON2ECEIVERTO).ON6#2
#ABLEFROM/54ON6#2TO).ON46
!UDIO6IDEOCABLESFROM/54ON$6$TO!UDIO6IDEO).ON46
(Match colors of cables red-to-red, yellow-to-yellow, etc.)
HOW TO CONNECT YOUR DVD PLAYER, RECEIVER, TV, AND VCR AND GAME
Game
Audio/Video Out
Cable
Outlet
IN
TV
VCR
Receiver
OUT
IN OUT
Audio/Video In
IN
Audio/Video In
DVD
Audio/Video Out
s
s
s
s
s
#ABLEFROM#ABLE/UTLETTO).ON2ECEIVER
#ABLEFROM/54ON2ECEIVERTO).ON6#2
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ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
Cable jumpers, signal splitters, amplifiers or A/B switches may cause signal
degradation if they do not meet Charter’s standards. Please contact us for assistance
in connecting any additional equipment to your home network. All cable connections
must be properly prepared and must be properly tightened.
COMPATIBLE REMOTE CONTROLS
Charter uses digital receivers or analog set-top box with decoders that work in
conjunction with universal remote controls. Universal remote controls are available
from retail stores. The following is a representative list of compatible remote controls
currently available from retail stores. Although Charter has endeavored to ensure the
accuracy of the list, errors or omissions may occur. Please note that this list of current
universal remote control units may become obsolete with technological changes.
Should you have a question about the compatibility of your remote control unit,
please call the remote manufacturer or contact Charter.
Make
Description
Model
GE
4-Device Glow Keys Universal Remote 24906
Logitech Harmony
5-Device Advanced Universal
650
Logitech Harmony
15-Device Advanced Universal
915
Logitech Harmony
15-Device with Color Touch Screen
1100
RCA
5-Device Universal
RCRP05
RCA
8-Device Universal Big Button
RCR4358
Sony
8-Device Universal Learning Remote RMVL600
Universal Remote Control
7-Device Universal
R7
Universal Remote Control
18-Device Digital Universal
R50
Zenith
8-Device Universal Remote
ZC800
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
BYPASS SWITCHES/SPLITTERS: This switch is installed on the input side of the receiver
to permit signals to bypass the receiver and be routed directly to your television set,
DVD or VCR. This will permit the simultaneous recording and viewing of different nonsecure programs, the consecutive recording of non-secure programming on different
channels, and the use of picture in picture features for non-secure channels. This
switch may be part of your receiver or it may be a separate device.
CUSTOM SETUP: If you wish to receive two secure channels at the same time (so that
you can watch a secure channel while recording another secure channel), a dual
tuner receiver or two single tuner receivers can be installed to facilitate this request.
AMPLIFICATION EQUIPMENT: Charter is required by federal regulation to deliver a
minimum signal to each television set. Charter’s network is designed to provide the
required signal for up to four home devices. If five or more outlets or devices are
connected to the home network, a signal amplification device may be required and
may be sold to the respective customer. Charter will install the amplification device.
CABLECARDs: The CableCARD is a piece of equipment, about the size of a credit card,
designed to allow a customer to see digital encrypted cable channels without using a
receiver if you have a newer television that supports the device. In some instances, a
receiver is still needed to receive advanced interactive digital cable services, including
but not limited to, On Demand, on screen ordering of Pay-Per-View or the enhanced
program guide. Please contact Charter to inquire about the availability of CableCARDs
in your area.
SELF HELP AND SUPPORT You will find help videos, user guides, troubleshooting
steps, and FAQ’s for Charter’s TV products and services at charter.com/support.
PARENTAL CONTROLS
Charter understands that there may be certain television programs available that
some customers find unsuitable for members of their household. Certain channels
containing sexually oriented programming are carried on the cable system. Signal
“bleed”, which results in partly discernible video images and audio, may appear on
these and other channels. Charter advises all customers to periodically audit the
cable channels to determine if any programming is deemed by them to be offensive
or inappropriate, as well as to prevent children from viewing signal “bleed” without
their parents’ knowledge or permission. Customers should also be aware that certain
home electronic equipment may be capable of “defeating” scrambled signals and
may make it possible to view the programming involved.
A parental control option is available to all Charter customers who have a receiver
hooked up to their TV. In some areas, one of our remote controls may also be
necessary in order to utilize this option.
Depending on the type of equipment in your home, parentally controlling a channel
may be as easy as pressing some buttons on the remote control or the receiver.
By exercising the parental control option, you can block the programming on many
channels for a certain amount of time. In most areas, our equipment allows our
customers to parentally control even local broadcast networks.
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Customers who notify us that they are not satisfied with our scrambling may receive a
special filter, which Charter will install to prevent further reception of certain channels.
This is only necessary in those rare instances in which the respective customer’s home
television equipment is able to defeat the scrambling technology used by Charter.
For more information, please contact Charter Customer Service.
SERVICE AND BILLING PROCEDURES
Charter appreciates you as a customer (also referred to herein as “Customer”) of our
cable and broadband communication services (referred to herein as a “Service” or
the “Services”) and has provided below essential information regarding terms and
conditions of service, billing procedures, and complaint procedures.
SERVICE:
REQUEST FOR CONNECTION. Request for connection may be made at the local Charter
office, via the Internet at www.charter.com, or by mail or telephone. Customers will
be advised of installation and applicable pre-payment amounts. Unless otherwise
specified, billing begins on the date of physical installation. Customers may be subject
to credit screening in accordance with applicable law. Based on the results of a credit
check, customers may be required to pay a deposit and/or advanced payments as
condition of service and applicable service restrictions may apply.
INSTALLATION. Someone over eighteen (18) years of age with a government issued
picture ID must be home during any installation or repair of your cable television
Service. Charter requires its employees to display identification during visits to a
customer’s service location.
ACCESS. By ordering Service, customer has granted Charter the right to enter upon
your property at the service address to install Service, and to audit, adjust, repair,
replace, maintain, move or remove equipment and from time to time check for signal
leakage. By accepting service, you also are deemed to grant Charter any easement or
rights of way needed to render Services to your property. If Charter is unable to gain
reasonable access to your property, Charter reserves the right to discontinue Service.
HOME WIRING. For new and existing single unit installations, the wiring inside the
demarcation point, as defined by the FCC, shall become a fixture to the realty upon
installation. For multiple dwelling unit or commercial installations, the wiring inside
the demarcation point shall not be deemed a fixture or part of the Customer’s realty
unless the Customer purchases the cable wire when Service is terminated.
EQUIPMENT.
a.) Charter Owned. Any receiver or other Charter property and facilities (“Equipment”)
delivered to Customer and/or installed on the premises to receive the Service(s)
shall remain the property of Charter. Customer assumes the risk of loss, theft
or damage to the Equipment at all times prior to the removal of the Equipment
by Charter or return of the Equipment by Customer. Customers may be asked
to provide a credit card as security for all HD, DVR, combination HD_DVR
receivers, or other like equipment. You will be required to sign a Supplemental
Terms - HD Box or DVR Unreturned Equipment Charges form at the time of
installation or pick-up at the local office. Failure to return equipment will
subject you to additional charges and may result in your credit report being
negatively impacted.
b.) Customer Owned. Customer agrees that Charter is not responsible for the
operation, maintenance, service or repair of Customer’s television, computer,
telephone, radio or any other consumer electronics, which may be connected
to the Service(s).
REPAIR OF CABLE EQUIPMENT. Charter will repair and/or replace any defective system
components including receivers at no charge , but customer shall be responsible for
repairs necessitated due to abuse or the negligence of the Customer. In the latter case,
a reasonable charge will be assessed by Charter to the Customer.
SERVICE CALLS. If the Customer has a technical problem that is cable system related,
there will be no charge for the service call if the problem is associated with the cable
plant, which Charter maintains. In all other cases and where the problem is a result of
unauthorized tampering with the cable or abuse of Charter’s equipment, a service call
charge may be assessed.
PROGRAMMING. Customer acknowledges that Charter has the right at any time
to preempt without notice specific advertised programming and to substitute
programming.
RESTRICTIONS. Charter provides cable service to Customer for private home viewing
and enjoyment. Customer may not order or request Pay-Per-View, On Demand, digital
music, or any other programming for receipt, exhibition or taping in a commercial
establishment. Customer may not exhibit nor assist in the exhibition of Pay-Per-View
programming in a commercial establishment unless explicitly authorized to do so
by agreement with an authorized program provider. If Customer fails to abide by this
restriction, Customer shall be liable for any and all claims made against Customer or
Charter on account of any commercial exhibition.
COMPANY CHANGES IN SERVICE AND CHARGES. Subject to applicable law, Charter
has the right to change its service and equipment, and its prices or fees, at any time.
Charter also may rearrange, delete, add to or otherwise change the Service provided
on our Basic Service or other levels of Service. If the change affects you, Charter will
provide you notice of the change and its effective date. The notice may be provided
on your monthly bill, as an insert, or by other permitted communication. If you find
the change unacceptable, you have the right to cancel your Service. Please refer to
your service agreement, if applicable, for any early disconnection reference. However,
if you continue to receive service after the effective date of the change, your continued
usage of the Service constitutes your acceptance of the change.
To the extent required by law, after notification of a re-tiering of Charter services or a
rate increase, you may elect within 30 days to change the services you are receiving
at no additional charge. Otherwise, changes by you of the Services you receive may
result in upgrade, downgrade, or change of service charges. Please contact Charter
if you have questions.
ASSIGNMENT - CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY. The Service shall only be provided to
Customer at the address where Charter’s installation is performed. Customer may not
transfer Customer’s rights or obligations to the Service to any successor tenant or
occupant or to any other address without Charter’s prior written consent.
CHARTER ALL IN CUSTOMER GUARANTEE We’re committed to making your experience
outstanding. Learn more about our customer guarantee at charter.com/guarantee.
BILLING
MULTIPLE CYCLE BILLING. Customer agrees to pay monthly charges in advance. All
service charges are billed based upon the initial installation date for the current month
and any pro-rated charges. After payment of the installation fee and the first month’s
billing as set forth in the Request for Connection section, payment is due by the due
date and becomes past due upon your next billing cycle. The date on which a bill
becomes past due may vary on a community-to-community basis depending upon
applicable law in your area. You may be billed late fees, charges and assessments
related to late payments or non-payments if for any reason (a) Charter does not
receive from you any required payment for Service by the payment due date or (b)
you pay less than the full amount due for Service. If there is a billing problem, please
call Charter promptly to ensure your bill does not become past due.
STATEMENTS WITH ZERO OR CREDIT BALANCES. Customers with a zero or credit
balance on their bill will not receive a paper statement in the mail.
DISCONNECT FOR NON-PAY. If a balance remains unpaid beyond the specified due
date, it becomes delinquent. Charter will make reasonable efforts (may include written
notices, phone calls, text messages, e-mail, internet messages, etc.) to contact
you, leading to disconnection if the delinquency remains unpaid. Any subsequent
reconnect is subject to a reconnect fee, all back balances and the first month’s bill,
and all costs of collection (if any).
CHECK AND CREDIT CARD POLICY. Charter may charge a reasonable insufficient
funds processing fee for all returned checks and bankcard charge-backs. If your
check, bankcard (debit or credit) charge, or other instrument or electronic transfer
transaction used to pay us is dishonored, refused or returned for any reason, we
reserve the right to electronically debit your account for the amount of the attempted
payment, plus an insufficient funds processing fee as set forth on your Video Services
rate card (but in any event up to the amount allowable by law and any applicable
sales tax). Your bank account may be debited as early as the same day such initial
payment is dishonored, refused or returned. If your bank account is not debited, the
returned check amount (plus fee) must be paid by cash, cashier’s check or money
order. Charter may suspend check and/or bankcard payment options on an account
at any time if multiple returned payments are attempted.
PROCESSING FEES. Additional fees may apply if a Charter Customer Care Agent’s
assistance is needed for payment.
CORRESPONDENCE. Do not mail written correspondence with your bill statement.
Please contact Charter Customer Service with any additional needs.
TERMINATION - CUSTOMER. Account holder may terminate Service in person at the
local Charter office or by telephone. To avoid any billing misunderstanding, telephone
requests for disconnection should be followed up either in writing or in person. If
Account Holder is on a term agreement and is requesting termination of the agreement
prior to the end of the contractual period, Charter reserves the right to assess an early
termination fee.
TERMINATION OF SERVICE/DISCONNECTED ACCOUNT. Charter reserves the right
to terminate your service based on your delinquent status. Charter will make
reasonable efforts (may include written notices, phone calls, text messages, e-mail,
internet messages, etc.) to contact you and advise you of a pending suspension
or disconnection resulting from an unpaid balance. In the unlikely event that your
account has been disconnected for nonpayment, you may be liable for all reconnect
fees, past due balance, and 1st month service in advance, and any pro-rated charges.
If your account remains unpaid, it may be forwarded to a 3rd party collection agency
for collections and your credit report may be negatively impacted. If your service is
terminated before the end of your contract date, then Charter reserves the right to
assess an early termination fee.
Upon termination, Charter may charge additional fees on any unpaid balance, and
reserves any and all other rights it has under the terms and conditions of Customer’s
service agreement with Charter and otherwise under applicable law with respect to
billing for Service and unreturned equipment. The replacement cost for any unreturned
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equipment will be posted to Customer’s account and will appear on the next available
billing statement. In the event that the Equipment is destroyed, damaged, lost or
stolen, or not returned to Charter upon termination of Service, Customer shall be
liable to Charter for applicable unreturned equipment fees as may be set forth in
your Video Services rate card or any Supplemental Terms form, if applicable, or the
full replacement cost of such equipment. Further, Customer understands and agrees
that Charter may charge Customer’s credit card on file at termination of Service in the
amount of any outstanding balance and/or for the cost of any unreturned Equipment,
in accordance with applicable law.
PRIOR ACCOUNTS. Customer represents that no monies are owed to Charter from
previous accounts with Charter. If Charter finds a prior account with Customer with
monies owed to Charter, then Charter may apply any funds received to that prior
account before the funds are applied to the new account. If customer is requesting
new services, any prior account balance owed must be paid before new services
can be completed.
MOVING. Before you move, please contact Charter. This is the best way for us to
disconnect your Service, recover your Equipment and arrange for cable television
service in your new home. Call us in advance, and Charter will schedule a new
installation, provided that your new home is in our service area. Should you decide to
disconnect your cable television Service, receivers, remote-control devices, modems
and any other equipment provided by us should be returned to us immediately. Do
not leave the Equipment in your vacant home or with anyone else.
INSIDE WIRING*. A Wire Maintenance Plan is offered to customers for a low monthly
rate. It covers the repair of customers’ inside communications wires. The optional plan
applies to most inside wiring problems associated with cable and telephone wires.
Charter does not service television sets, or any other equipment (such as VCR’s,
home antennas, or other cable compatible equipment) not owned by us as part of
this plan, even if it is attached to the cable or to the cable equipment. Certain other
limitations may apply to the plan, such as the exclusion of repairs necessary as a
result of illegal installations, abuse or other misconduct, unauthorized modifications
of inside wiring and/or catastrophic events like fires or floods. Please contact Charter
for more information about the Wire Maintenance Plan.
SUSPENSION/CREDITS FOR LOSS OF SERVICE. Charter endeavors to respond to
a complete outage in a customer’s service within 24 hours of the outage being
reported, except in situations beyond our control. If you have a service problem,
please contact Charter immediately as any applicable credit that is available will
be issued from the date you notify us. Charter will not be responsible for any failure
or interruption of programming or Service resulting from circumstances beyond its
control. Customer shall not be entitled to consequential damages of any sort, under
any circumstance.
INDEMNITY. In requesting and accepting Service, Customer agrees to indemnify
and hold Charter harmless from and against any and all demands, claims, suits,
attorney or witness fees, liabilities and other expenses for damages to property or
injury or death of any person arising from the installation and provision of Service,
except such as was caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of Charter or
its authorized employees or agents. You agree that Charter is not liable for any
consequential damages as a result of any loss of Service, nor will you make any
claims or undertake any actions against Charter for loss of Service.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURES Charter Communications maintains offices and trained
maintenance staff to respond promptly to customers’ requests. Technical personnel
will be dispatched as needed. We strive to resolve any complaints concerning service
as quickly as possible. Should a customer have any unresolved complaint regarding
quality of service, equipment malfunctions, or similar matters, please contact Charter
Customer Service. If a complaint remains unresolved, you may write a brief explanation
of the complaint and actions taken and send them to: Charter Communications,
Vice President, 95 Higgins Street, Worcester, MA 01606. Additionally, Charter
Communications holds an operating certificate from the Vermont Public Service Board
and is also regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Both of these
entities may assist customers who are unable to get a satisfactory resolution of their
complaints directly from the company.
Dispute Resolution: You should first try to resolve any complaint or dispute directly
with Charter. If you remain unsatisfied by Charter’s response, you may request
assistance from the Vermont Department of Public Service Consumer Hotline by calling
1-800-622-4496 or writing 112 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2601. Assistance
is available Monday through Friday, except state holidays, between the hours of 7:45
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. TTY/TDD number is 1-800-734-8390.
THEFT OF SERVICE
Theft of service is the unauthorized interception and/or receipt of any communications
and services offered over a cable system or tampering with cable equipment
without the express authorization of the cable operator. Cable theft can occur when
an individual knowingly and willfully makes illegal connections to a cable system
or alters any equipment or installs any unauthorized equipment so as to receive
Charter’s cable signal without Charter’s authorization or knowledge. Cable theft can
also occur when an individual continues to receive Charter’s cable signal subsequent
to termination of Service.
Any person who unlawfully intercepts or receives communications provided over a
cable system violates the Federal Communications Act as amended. [See 47 U.S.C.
§553]. This includes the theft of audio, video, textual data, or other service, including
data transmitted to or from a customer over a system that has interactive capability.
Parties found guilty of cable theft are subject to both civil and criminal penalties,
which may include substantial fines and/or time in prison. These prohibitions apply
to manufacturers, suppliers and users of unauthorized cable devices.
Also, a cable operator may seek substantial monetary damages for the theft of its
cable services. In addition, if the violations are willful and for commercial advantage
or private financial gain, the court may award additional damages of up to $50,000
in civil cases and a maximum of $100,000 for certain criminal violations, in addition
to a maximum of five years imprisonment for subsequent offenses.
Congress enacted this legislation because it believes that theft of cable service poses
a major threat to the economic viability of cable operators and cable programmers.
Theft of service creates unfair burdens on cable customers who are forced to subsidize
the illegal reception by other individuals of cable service without paying for it.
To contact Charter call 1-888-GET CHARTER (1-888-438-2427)
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